Bulls kept focus on continuity in 2023
The Bulls have been a bastion of continuity during the past three years.
The coaching staff hasn't changed, the roster has barely changed. The Bulls did add to the player development staff during the summer, which seems to be paying dividends.
So the Bulls didn't really make any big headlines in 2023, but let's try to pick the top five stories of the year.
White's time arrives
The best news for the Bulls this year has been the dramatic improvement of point guard Coby White, and it happened after he signed a new three-year contract at a reasonable price.
White's numbers perked up when Zach LaVine went out with a foot injury and his scoring efficiency has been especially impressive. No matter who is on the court for the Bulls, the ball needs to be in White's hands often moving forward.
At the moment, White has the third-best odds to win the Most Improved Player Award, behind Philadelphia's Tyrese Maxey and Houston's Alperen Sengun.
Play-in drama
The Bulls didn't make the playoffs in 2023 but still managed to end last season on a promising note, if there is such a thing.
They were the No. 10 seed in the East but won a road game at Toronto in the first round of the play-in tournament behind Zach LaVine's 30 points in the second half.
Then in Miami, the Bulls took a 90-87 lead with 3:47 left when Coby White knocked down a 3-pointer. That's where the fun ended. The Bulls were outscored 15-1 the rest of the way, the Heat got the No. 8 seed and went all the way to the NBA Finals. But the Bulls made Miami sweat.
LaVine seeks trade
On Nov. 14, Chicago-based NBA insider Shams Charania posted a tweet stating Zach LaVine and the Bulls were “open” to exploring trade possibilities.
It wasn't described as a trade “demand,” but items like that don't end up public unless someone wants it out there. There was little doubt LaVine wants out and the Bulls were awful for the next two weeks until LaVine went out with a sore right foot. The issue has yet to be resolved.
Vuc re-signs
League-wide interest in Bulls center Nikola Vucevic was probably close to non-existent when he became a free agent this summer. But the Bulls re-signed the 33-year-old big man to a three-year, $60-million deal.
Good idea? Poor value? Well, as much as this could have been an opportunity to revamp the lineup, there weren't a lot of good options for a replacement center if the Bulls let Vucevic walk away. Maybe that changes if Andre Drummond posts more 24-25 games, like he did filling in for Vucevic on Tuesday.
Lonzo still out
This wasn't a shock but still significant news. The Bulls announced point guard Lonzo Ball would undergo cartilage transplant surgery on his left knee March 20, and miss the 2023-24 season.
Ball already missed the entire 2022-23 season and hasn't played since Jan. 14, 2022. He's still under contract through next season, so the Bulls are going to wait it out and give him a chance to return. When Ball was healthy and playing well, the Bulls got off to a 27-11 start in 2021-22.
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